THE SEVEN FACTORS OF ENLIGHTENMENT
Among the Thirty-Seven Factors of Enlightenment (sattatiṃsa bodhipakkhiyā dhammā), the key, fundamental, and practical teachings of Buddhism, the Seven Factors of Enlightenment are one of the most important doctrinal parts of the Buddha’s teachings that help Dharma practitioners practice and apply to contribute to bringing peace, joy, and happiness to the many all over the planet. On the path towards liberation from the afflictions of greed, anger, delusion, ignorance, wrong views, etc., the Seven Factors of Enlightenment are essential for Dharma practitioners to cultivate, learn, understand, practice, and apply the Buddha Dharma in the daily life to benefit themselves and other people right here and now in the present life.
The Seven Factors of Enlightenment in Pali are written as Satta sambojjhaṅgā; Satta means seven; Sam and its prefix means complete, full, perfect, correct, righteous, noble, etc.; Bojjhi in bojjhaṅgā is a phonetic combination of the words bodhi and aṅga; Bodhi is a noun meaning enlightenment, understanding, awakening, etc. Aṅga is a noun meaning factor. So Satta Sambojjhaṅgā is a compound noun phrase meaning the Seven Factors of perfect Enlightenment. Bodhi, its verb is budh or bodhati; meaning to perceive, to know, to be aware, to comprehend, to understand, etc.
The Seven Factors of Enlightenment consist of
1. The enlightenment factors of mindfulness (Sati sambojjhanga),
2. The enlightenment factors of dhamma investigation (Dhamma vicaya sambojjhanga),
3. The enlightenment Factors of Effort (Viriya sambojjhanga),
4. The enlightenment Factors of Joy (Piti sambojjhanga),
5. The enlightenment Factors of Tranquility (Passaddhi sambojjhanga),
6. The enlightenment Factors of Concentration (Samadhi sambojjhanga), and
7. The enlightenment Factors of Equanimity (Upekkha sambojjhanga).
1. THE ENLIGHTENMENT FACTORS OF MINDFULNESS (Sati sambojjhanga) is the first of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment; In Chinese, Mindfulness (念) is composed of the character Kim (今) and the character Tâm 心; Kim (今) means now, present, current, right now; Tâm 心 means heart. Mindfulness (念) means remembering what is happening right here and right now in the present moments. Mindfulness always goes hand in hand with right mindfulness and full awareness when Dharma practitioners cultivate, learn, understand, practice, and apply the Buddha Dharma in the daily life. The opposite of mindfulness is wrong mindfulness, distracting mindfulness, forgetful mindfulness, chaotic mindfulness, wandering mindfulness, etc. Those who have wrong thoughts, distracting thoughts, forgetful thoughts, chaotic thoughts, wandering thoughts, etc., bring will certainly harm to themselves, harm to other people, and harm to the many. Therefore, being aware of such wrong mindfulness, in the process of practicing Buddha Dharma and renewing body and mind, Dharma practitioners should try to recognize and transform wrong mindfulness and distracting mindfulness into right mindfulness and full awareness to make life beautify.
According to the Ānāpānasati Sutta in Majjhima Nikaya 118, the objects of mindfulness include mindfulness of breathing, mindfulness of the body, mindfulness of feelings, mindfulness of the mind, and mindfulness of mental objects.
With With mindfulness of breathing in right mindfulness and awareness, “when breathing in, I know I am breathing in; when breathing out, I know I am breathing out. I know I am breathing out long. When breathing out short, I know I am breathing in short. When breathing deeply, I know I am breathing deeply. When I breathe slowly, I know I am breathing slowly. When I breathe peacefully, I know I am breathing peacefully, etc. When I practice and apply the breaths of mindfulness and awareness in all daily gestures and actions, I will certainly attain peace, joy, and happiness right here and right now in the present life.”
When mindfulness of the body is maintained and nourished in right mindfulness and awareness, Dharma practitioner can recognize that this body is formed by dependent origination through father’s sperm, mother’s egg, food, drink, sunlight, moonlight, helpers, etc. When this body is formed, it has to go through cycles of movement, motion, health, strength, aging, illness, weakness, and decay. When contemplating the body, the Dharma practitioner clearly knows that this physical body is formed by the four great elements: Earth, water, fire, wind, and the five aggregates: Body, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness.
This body is a material aggregate formed by causes and conditions. It is impermanent, fragile, and unreal. However, we rely on this body so that we do not destroy it. We do not speak, think, or do unwholesome things that harm the body and mind. Therefore, we are always conscious of treasuring and making use of this body so that we can do meaningful things for our lives. Parents are the ones who give us this physical body. Virtuous teachers and good friends are the ones who teach and guide us to have more bodies of wisdom, morality, and meditation. In the Dhammapada, Verse 193, the Buddha taught:
Hard is it to gain a human birth
Hard is it to find the Tathagata
Hard is it to hear the true Dharma
Hard is it to associate with the Sangha
Wherever we learn and practice the Buddha Dharma diligently,
there we definitely obtain peace and joy.
With mindfulness of feelings in right mindfulness and awareness in the present, we can recognize and transform the unwholesome and insecure feelings into the wholesome and secure feelings right in Dharma learning, Dharma practice, Dharma joy, and Dharma happiness. The rivers of feelings that arise within us are sometimes calm and sometimes not calm. When they arise calmly, they are like gentle drizzles. When they arise not calm, they are like storms in the body and mind. Cultivating, learning, and practicing the Buddha Dharma in the daily life is the process of recognizing and transforming feelings of insecurity and unhappiness into feelings of joy and happiness right here and right now in the present life.
With mindfulness of the clear mind in right mindfulness and alertness, the Dharma practitioner can clearly know that for those who do not have a stable meditation practice, their minds are like horses that do not stand still, running around all day on the street. But for those who practice and cultivate the Buddha Dharma, their minds are calm and quiet like water in a glass that is not shaken, like a lamp that shines its light unruffled and unshaken by the wind.
Indeed, those who are not diligent in studying and practicing the Buddha Dharma, greed, anger, delusion, ignorance, and wrong views easily arise in them. However, Dharma practitioners who cultivate, apply, and practice the Buddha Dharma in their daily lives can recognize and transform greed, anger, delusion, ignorance, and wrong views into generosity, compassion, insight, wisdom, and right views. In the process of moving towards enlightenment and spiritual liberation, practicing the Buddha Dharma is the process of the Dharma practitioner perceiving, recognizing, and transforming a wavering and restless mind into the calm and focused mind; a mind of greed, anger, and delusion transformed into the mind of less greed, less anger, and less delusion.
The objects of mind called mindfulness of Dharmas are in scope very broad include the five hindrances, the five aggregates, the six sense faculties, the six sense objects, the six consciousnesses belonging to the eighteen realms of phenomena, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the four noble truths.
The five hindrances include: 1. Lust, 2. Anger, 3. Sloth and torpor, 4. Restlessness and remorse, and 5. Doubt.
The five aggregates include: 1. Body, 2. Feelings, 3. Perceptions, 4. Mental formations, and 5. Consciousness.
The eighteen realms of phenomena include the SIX SENSES FACULTIES: 1. eyes, 2. ears, 3. nose, 4. tongue, 5. body, 6. mind in the body are called the internal realms; the SIX MIND OBJECTS: 1. form, 2. sound, 3. smell, 4. taste, 5. touch, 6. mental objects are outside the body called the external realms; SIX CONSCIOUSNESSES: 1. eye consciousness, 2. ear consciousness, 3. nose consciousness, 4. tongue consciousness, 5. body consciousness, 6. mind consciousness. in the middle of helping the six sense bases identify the six mind objects called the middle realms.
Eye organ is in contact with form, eye consciousness arises.
Ear organ is in contact with sound, ear consciousness arises.
Nose organ is in contact with odor, nose consciousness arises.
Tongue organ is in contact with taste, tongue consciousness arises.
Body organ is in contact with touch, body consciousness arises.
Mind organ is in contact with mind objects, mind consciousness arises.
The Seven Factors of Enlightenment include:
1. The enlightenment factors of mindfulness (Sati sambojjhanga),
2. The enlightenment factors of dhamma investigation (Dhamma vicaya sambojjhanga),
3. The enlightenment factors of effort (Viriya sambojjhanga),
4. The enlightenment factors of rapture (Piti sambojjhanga),
5. The enlightenment factors of tranquility (Passaddhi sambojjhanga),
6. The enlightenment factors of concentration (Samadhi sambojjhanga), and
7. The enlightenment factors of equanimity (Upekkha sambojjhanga).
The four noble truths include:
1. The truth of suffering
2. The truth of the origin of suffering
3. The truth of the cessation of suffering
4. The noble eightfold path leading to the cessation of suffering.
As for mindfulness of dharmas, the objects of the mind, when Dharma practitioners do not cultivate and practice the Buddha Dharma, the five hindrances, the five aggregates, and the eighteen realms of phenomena are all great obstacles not only for themselves but also for other people. On the contrary, Dharma practitioners who study, understand, apply, and practice the Dharma in their daily lives can recognize and transform them well.
With full mindfulness and awareness, with regard to mindfulness of dharmas, the objects of the mind, when the Dharma practitioners cultivate and practice the Buddha Dharma diligently, smoothly, flexibly, and skillfully, they can attain the seven factors of enlightenment and clearly understand the four noble truths.
Above is what the author has discussed in general about the enlightenment factors of MINDFULNESS, the first part of the seven factors of enlightenment, followed by the second part, the ENLIGHTENMENT FACTORS of DHARMA INVESTIGATION.
2. THE ENLIGHTENMENT FACTORS OF DHARMA INVESTIGATION (Dharma vicaya sambojjhanga) is the second of the seven factors of enlightenment. Dharma in this case means the Buddha’s teachings; Vicaya is a noun whose verb is vicinati which means to select, choose, recognize, perceive, distinguish, analyze, and to understand. So dharma vicaya is a Pali phrase translated into Vietnamese as Dharma investigation, which means selecting, recognizing, and clearly understanding what is correct, true, genuine, and practical.
We know that Dharma Investigation always goes with right understanding, right wisdom, right confidence, right knowledge, and right path, specifically the path with eight methods of right cultivation including right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.
With correct Dharma-contemplation, we see and know clearly that all things in this world are inter-dependent, dependently arisen, impermanent, without self, and without independent and separate self-nature. There is no single cause, no single creator that can create the world and the universe. Likewise, this physical body is formed by the four great elements and the five aggregates, consisting of two main elements: the physical body and the mind. This body is formed by the father’s sperm, the mother’s egg, food, drink, pure air, light, etc. This body is not created by any supreme god.
With correct Dhamma Investigation, learning, understanding, and practicing the Kalama Sutta clearly, we can stably master the ten right confidences in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha deeply. Reading and contemplating the Kalama Sutta in the Anguttara Nikaya, we will clearly know the ten right confidences as follows:
1. Do not hurry to believe in anything whether it is orally transmitted, or it has been acquired by repeated hearing.
2. Do not hurry to believe in anything whether it is a tradition, legend, habit, or a custom.
3. Do not hurry to believe in anything whether it is a report, surmise, or rumor.
4. Do not hurry to believe in anything whether it is noted in a scripture, or in a book.
5. Do not hurry to believe in anything whether it is a conjecture, or a metaphysical theory.
6. Do not hurry to believe in anything whether it is an axiom, or a stance to be deduced.
7. Do not hurry to believe in anything whether it only relies on the viewpoint of bias, or on ambiguous data.
8. Do not hurry to believe in anything whether it is a fixed karma, a prejudice, view of permanence, or a view of annihilation.
9. Do not hurry to believe in anything whether it is an intimidation and brainwashing, or a threat of a supreme god fabricated, imagined, thought, and spoken out.
10. Do not hurry to believe in anything whether it is proclaimed by your missionaries, preachers, or teachers.
Together with the right view, the right understanding, the right thought, v. v …, with the correct Dharma Investigation, we understand the teachings of the Buddha, specifically, loving kindness, compassion, wisdom, morality, meditative concentration, the truth of suffering, the truth of the origin of suffering, the truth of the cessation of suffering, and the truth of the noble eightfold path leading to the cessation of suffering.
On the contrary, in the process of studying the Buddha Dharma, if there is no right teacher’s instructions,
if there is no correct dharma investigation, then we can easily fall into wrong knowledge, wrong wisdom, wrong confidence, ignorance, and wrong way, specifically wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong meditative concentration.
For example, human beings, animals, and all things on this earth were created by a supreme god. Believing in physiognomy, good days, good hours, good directions, good ages. Burning votive paper. Looking at the stars to ward off bad luck. All of these are inconsistent with the doctrine of cause and effect, and are not in accordance with the Buddha’s teachings. Indeed, good or bad days, hours, directions, and ages, all depend on our thoughts, words, and actions. In the process of learning and practicing the Buddha Dharma without right Dharma Investigation, it is very easy to bring disadvantages to ourselves and to other people. Therefore, by cultivating and practicing the Buddha Dharma with right knowledge, right wisdom, right confidence, and correct Dharma Investigation, we can benefit ourselves and other people right here and right now in this present life.
3. THE ENLIGHTENMENT FACTORS OF EFFORT (Viriya sambojjhanga) is the third of the seven factors of enlightenment. In its perfect sense, viriya means effort, zeal, diligence, industriousness, assiduity, purity, perseverance, determination, vigor, progress, energy, courage, ascendancy, towardness, goodness, and endeavor. In the Noble Eightfold Path (ariya atthangika magga), Right Effort is the sixth factor (Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, RIGHT EFFORT, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration). In the Five Powers (pañcabalā), Effort is the second factor (Confidence of powers, Effort of powers, Mindfulness of powers, Concentration of powers, and Wisdom of powers).
1. Be diligent in eradicating evil things that have not yet arisen. In daily life, when we are born, grow up, and work, we often live in ethical and educational environments. We have never killed living beings, taken what is not given, done sexual misconduct, adultery, or violated children’s sexuality. We have never said what is unwholesome harms others, and we have never taken drunkenness, drugs, etc. etc … Being aware of these things clearly, we try, make great effort, and diligently prevent and eliminate the unwholesome evils that have not arisen.
2. Be diligent in eradicating all evil that has arisen. We know that animal nature and evil nature are always present in us. If we are close to a bad environment and unwholesome people, the seeds of evil and unwholesome things in us will easily arise. For example, when we grow up and work, we frequently come into contact with bad people, we commit the mistakes of debauchery and depravity. Now, by associating with good and virtuous people, we consciously stop, recognize, and transform them by diligently making a determined effort to end and abandon them.
3. Be diligent in developing the good things that have not yet arisen. The Buddha taught that Buddha nature, loving kindness, compassion, wisdom, and virtue are always present within us. Before we had never studied the Buddha Dharma, we had never meditated, chanted sutras, and paid homage to the Triple Gem. Now, thanks to being close to wise and virtuous people, we have the wholesome conditions to cultivate, study, understand, and practice the Buddha Dharma. We are diligent and energetic in meditation learning and meditation practice. We are determined to apply the Buddha Dharma in our daily lives to benefit ourselves and other people right here and right now in this present life.
4. Be diligent in developing the good things that have arisen. In the past, I have made offerings to and supported the Triple Gem, built the Sangha, supported poor but studious students, etc. Today and tomorrow, we continue to maintain and develop the good ând wholesome things that have been developed to benefit ourselves and other people even more. We know that diligently and energetically doing good deeds, speaking good words, and thinking about good thoughts always brings peace and happiness to ourselves and to other people right here and right now in the present life.
Benefits and bright examples of the virtues of right effort
By practicing and developing the right diligence, during his six years of asceticism as Bodhisattva Siddhartha, the Buddha chose the Middle Way by resolutely abandoning the ascetic practice of self-mortification and indulgence in sensual pleasures. Finally, he decided to practice meditation and attained full enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. Cultivating the Buddha Dharma is like swimming against the current water. If we stop, the current water will drown us. If we diligently swim up and toward the shore of liberation from afflictions and defilements, we will bring much joy and happiness to many people. Likewise, living in the world, if we do not have effort, diligence, mindfulness, and energy, the world will drown us. If we practice the right efforts, we live in the world, but we are not controlled by the world.
Indeed, through what has been discussed above, diligence in the positive sense means that which is right, true, good, and perfect, which can benefit oneself, other people, and both. On the contrary, diligence in the negative sense means harming oneself, harming others, and harming the many. For example, a thief has wrong effort to lurk around and steal what is not given. A drug addict and a drinker have wrong effort to drink in the morning and get drunk in the afternoon. Thus, actions of their wrong effort do not benefit the many. As people practice the virtues of right efforts, we consciously eliminate the unwholesome things and develop the wholesome things to benefit all living beings in this very present life.
4. THE ENLIGHTENMENT FACTORS OF JOY (Piti sambojjhanga) is the fourth is the fourth of the seven factors of enlightenment. Pity is translated as joy; in a positive sense, joy means rapture, gladness, delight, excitement, satisfaction, etc. According to the doctrine of interdependence, when studying and understanding the Buddha Dharma deeply, we see that the enlightenment factors joy are related to the other enlightenment factors, such as
1. The Enlightenment Factors of Mindfulness (Sati sambojjhanga),
2. The Enlightenment Factors of Dhamma Investigation (Dhamma vicaya sambojjhanga),
3. The Enlightenment Factors of Effort (Viriya sambojjhanga),
4. THE ENLIGHTENMENT FACTORS OF RAPTURE (Piti sambojjhanga),
5. The Enlightenment Factors of Tranquility (Passaddhi sambojjhanga),
6. The Enlightenment Factors of Concentration (Samadhi sambojjhanga), and
7. The Enlightenment Factors of Equanimity (Upekkha sambojjhanga).
4.a. 4. THE ENLIGHTENMENT FACTORS OF RAPTURE (Piti sambojjhanga) mean to be happy with the joy of practicing and applying the Buddha Dharma in the daily life to recognize and transform what happens to us clearly and mindfully. For example, if someone curses at us, we do not get angry and do not react to them. We always keep our minds calm and contemplate that anger is impermanent. Indeed, those who see anger as impermanent will never be burned by anger. Dharma practitioners who cultivate and learn the Buddha Dharma wisely must contemplate clearly like this.
Anger makes us ugly,
Clouds cover the sun and moon; nothing is left bright at all.
Joy and equanimity are like roses,
The garden of the beautiful mind is loved by everyone.
In the process of practicing the Buddha Dharma to liberate the defilements, thanks to staying away from evil and unwholesome things, Dharma practitioners can attain the joy of enlightenment right here in the present life. When we understand and practice like this, we will attain peace and happiness and everyone around us will also attain peace and happiness.
Joy in Buddhism is not only happy with one’s own success, but also happy with the success of others. Worldly joy is joy for oneself that leads to selfishness, but immeasurable joy is joy for others that leads to altruism. Joy in practice and transformation is altruistic joy. If we are happy with the success of others, we are blessed. They are blessed and we are blessed too. This is what we call altruistic joy and resonance between ourselves and others.
Indeed, the joy in doing something wholesome, thinking about something wholesome, and saying something wholesome in the morning, in the afternoon, and in the evening and the joy in cultivating, practicing, and applying Dharma learning, Dharma practice, and Dharma understanding in our daily lives, we are strongly determined to nurture and develop Dharma happiness to bring peace, joy, and happiness to the many right here in the present life.
A person who practices joy has the ability to recognize and transform jealousy and anger. A person who does not have joy when seeing someone succeed easily becomes jealous and angry; Jealousy and anger easily lead people to the abyss of discrimination, anger, and hatred between themselves and others, between this country and other countries. Therefore, we are clearly aware of this.
Devadatta, who had no joy, often felt jealous of the Buddha. With the joy of enlightenment, at the end of his life, Devadatta’s jealousy was transformed in his final repentance towards the Buddha and he became the Buddha’s disciple.
Indeed, jealousy and hatred lead people to fight among people, religion with religion, country with country, etc. On the contrary, practicing altruistic joy has the ability to bring happiness and peace among people, religion with religion, country with country, etc. We should be aware of this and practice it well.
A person who practices joy has the ability to burn and destroy jealousy and anger, leading people to joy, happiness, and peace. Those who practice altruistic joy always have a noble and happy life.
Thus, by cultivating joy, we are happy with the material and spiritual success of others in this present life. The enlightenment factors of Joy is closely related to the Four Immeasurables (catasso appamaññāyo) or the Four brahmavihāras: Loving-kindness (mettā), Compassion (karuṇā), Sympathetic joy (muditā), and Equanimity (upekkhā). Please see the additional Dharma article via this link https://phapnhan.org/en/the-four-immeasurable-minds/
In Buddhist terminology, joy has many different types which are presented and discussed in general as follows:
4.b. 1. Joy of Feelings
4.b. 2. Joy of Bodily Action
4.b. 3. Joy of Verbal Action
4.b. 4. Joy of Mental Action
4.b. 5. Joy of Dharma Learning
4.b. 6. Joy of Dharma Understanding
4.b. 7. Joy of Dharma Practice
4.b. 8. Joy of Dharma Achievement
4.b. 9. Joy of Dharma Enlightenment
4.b. 10. Joy of Dharma Equanimity
4.b. 11. Joy of Dharma Milk
4.b. 12. Joy of Dharma Happiness
4.b. 1. Joy of feelings often goes with happiness of feelings belonging to the mind and happiness of feelings belongs to the body. A specific example of joy of feelings and happiness of feelings is, in the hot summer, a thirsty traveler sees ice cream, it is the joy of feelings. After having seen the ice cream, the traveler eats the ice cream, that meaning is the joy of happiness. Another example is when practicing meditation, the practitioner is no longer entangled with external worldly scenes, the mind is light, that is the joy of feelings. When the mind is calm, light, and relaxed, the body sits still very firmly without moving, that is the joy of happiness.
When the joy of feelings, happiness of feelings, the body, and mind are divided like this, in reality, the body and mind are one. Joy and happiness are also one, never separate. They are interdependent like image and shadow, like water and waves.
Indeed, when afflictions are recognized and transformed well, joy of feelings and happiness of feelings in the body and mind arise together and are peaceful.
4.b. 2. Joy of Bodily Action
4.b. 3. Joy of Verbal Action
4.b. 4. Joy of Mental Action
We know the joy of bodily action, the joy of verbal action, and the joy of mental action are all closely related to each other. In the process of practicing and applying the Buddha Dharma in the daily life, when we have the joy of bodily action, we can practice as follows:
d. Speaking truthful words to create prestige and trust in each other by being aware not to tell lies.
e. Speaking the words of building, harmony, reconciliation, and solidarity by being aware not to speak the words that divide and separate.
f. Speaking the words that are loving, lovely, pleasant to hear, pleasing, gentle, and noble by being conscious of not speaking the words that are rude, harsh, cruel, and evil.
g. Speaking the words that are helpful, beneficial to oneself, and beneficial to others by being conscious of not speaking the nonsense and useless words.
In the process of practicing and applying the Buddha Dharma in the daily life, when we have the joy of mental action, we can practice as follows:
h. Developing the mind of almsgiving, making offerings to, and protecting the Triple Gem by practicing non-greed.
i. Developing the mind of loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity by practicing non-anger.
j. Developing right view, right knowledge, and right wisdom by practicing non-delusion.
4.b. 5. Joy of Dharma Learning
4.b. 6. Joy of Dharma Understanding
4.b. 7. Joy of Dharma Practice
4.b. 8. Joy of Dharma Achievement
4.b. 9. Joy of Dharma Enlightenment
As what has written above, all of the Buddha’s teachings have very close relationships with readers, learners, practitioners, understanders, and enlightened ones. When we are new people who know nothing about Buddhism, when we have enough wholesome conditions to come into contact with the Buddha Dharma, we have the ability to learn, understand, practice, achieve, and attain the five moral precepts clearly and deeply. When understanding and applying the five moral precepts in our daily lives, we can bring peace, joy, and happiness to the many all over this planet.
4.b. 10. Joy of Dharma equanimity
4.b. 11. Joy of Dharma milk
4.b. 12. Joy of Dharma happiness
When the five ethical trainings are permeated in the body and mind, the defilements and taints within us are recognized and transformed. This is called the joy of Dharma equanimity. Thanks to cultivating and practicing the Buddha Dharma skillfully, greed, anger, delusion, ignorance, and wrong views within us are gradually transformed, and the milk of the Dharma is watered with the ability to cool the body and mind. This is called the joy of the Dharma milk. In the process of studying, practicing, and applying the Buddha Dharma in the daily life, we taste the sweetness and peace of the true Dharma. This is called the joy of Dharma happiness. Indeed, when we study, understand, and absorb the Buddha Dharma, we clearly know that all things in the world are very closely interrelated, inter-born, inter-dependent, and interbeing with each other. In the Middle Length Discourse I (Majjhima Nikaya I), number 191, the Buddha taught: “Whoever sees Dependent Origination, sees the Dhamma; whoever sees the Dhamma, sees Dependent Origination.” That is called the joy of Dharma happiness.
4.c. 1. Joy of Gratitude Field
4.c. 2. Joy of Compassion Field
4.c. 3. Joy of Respect Field
4.c. 4. Joy of Merit Field
4.c. 1. Joy of Gratitude Field
Being born into the world, growing up in the world, living in the world, and working in the world, we all owe gratitude to and are grateful to all living things and living beings whether directly or indirectly. ĐIỀN here means field, a large area; ÂN means gratitude and grateful remembrance; HỶ means joy or rapture. THE JOY OF GRATITUDE FIELD means that when we do good, say good, and think good things without having ever had any condition for others. We are happy, other people are happy, and everyone is happy. It is an altruistic, immense, and vast joy that is likened to a field.
We all know that in a field, we can grow rice, corn, potatoes, beans, etc. With enough fertilizer, water, and labor, the field can provide us with fresh green flowers and fruits. Likewise, in life, we can be grateful to our teachers and friends, those who have taught and shown us secular knowledge and Dharma knowledge, giving us wings to fly high and far stably in life.
In the family, we can be grateful to our parents who gave us the birth, upbringing, and education. In the Sangha, as monastic people, we can be grateful to the donors and benefactors who have made offerings to and supported us with the robes, food, drink, shelters, and medication necessarily for the daily life. In the country, we can show our gratitude to the national heroes, those who have contributed to founding, building, defending, and developing the country richly, beautifully, and peacefully from ancient times until today, and express deep gratitude to the countries where we were born, grew up, lived, and worked, etc. Thanks to different kinds of gratitude, we have been well-nourished and become virtuous and useful people for life.
4.c. 2. Joy of Compassion Field
Compassion means mercy, the capacity, motivation of compassion. Compassion is the great power that makes our hearts move when we see other people suffering. Compassion is the heart that is soft, flexible, agile, equal, and altruistic. People with the Joy of Compassion Field have the ability to help other people relieve their suffering. People with the Joy of great Compassion Field help other people without expecting others to repay them and repay their kindness. People with the Joy of Compassion Field always have the spirit of dedication and service to others.
The Buddha, who had his great compassion, saved Mr. Sunita, a dung collector, a member of the lower caste who became his ordained disciple.
Indeed, those who practice the Joy of Compassion Field has the ability to recognize and transform sorrow, sadness, anxiety, and grief.
In the Dhammapada, verse 223, the Buddha taught:
Overcome the anger by non-anger,
Overcome the wicked by goodness,
Overcome the stingy by generosity,
Overcome the liar by speaking the truth.
Thus, the Joy of Compassion Field is the noble mind that never discriminates and distinguishes between skin colors, religions, races, and genders.
4.c. 3. Joy of Respect Field
Reverence means to respect, to pay respects to, to pay homage to. When we see elders, seniors, and older people, we respect and revere them. In a moral and educated family, we always respect our Grandparents and Parents. In a civilized and orderly society, we respect the elders. In Temples, Meditation Centers, Monasteries, and Nunneries with rules and regulations, we always respect the elder monastic People. For the Triple Gem, we always respect the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, and the Dharma Precepts in our daily lives. Please see the details in Daily Recitation No. 2 on the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, and the Dharma Precepts at this link.
4.c. 4. Joy of Blessings Field
Blessing in the Pali word is punna; the verb “Pu” or “pur” in punna means to purify, to make clean, to transform, etc. The Blessing is closely related to various other terms such as: Blessings of cultivation, blessings of appearance, Blessings of virtue, Blessings of materials, Blessings of knowledge, and Blessings of wisdom.
4.c. 4.1. Blessings of Cultivation
Practitioners who want to have blessings must practice, cultivate, and apply the Buddha Dharma in their daily lives to benefit themselves and other people right here and right now in this present life. There are ten types of Blessings of Cultivation.
1. Almsgiving (dana) means sharing wealth, Dharma, and fearlessness for other people.
2. Moral observance (sila) means protecting the sense organs and purifying the bodily action, verbal action, and mental action to be pure and fresh.
3. Meditation practice (jhana bhavana) means learning, understanding, applying, and practicing stopping meditation and insight meditation (samatha jhana & vipassana jhana) in the daily life to help healthy body and clear mind.
4. Reverence (apacāyana) means respecting those who deserve respecting.
5. Responsibility (veyyāvacca): There are responsibilities and duties between people and people, people and family, people and school, people and society, people and nation, people and international, people and natural environment, etc.
6. Dedication (pattidāna): Sharing the meritorious virtues of what we have created for other people.
7. Rejoicing (pattānumodanā): Rejoicing in and being pleased with one’s own and others’ blessing deeds.
8. Listening to the Dhamma (dhammassavana): Listening to the Buddha’s true Dhamma by cultivating, learning, practicing, understanding, comprehending, thinking, and contemplating.
9. Preaching the Dharma (dhammadesanā): After learning, understanding, and experiencing Dharma joy, we preach the true Dharma to other people so that they can learn, understand, apply, and practice with each other to help life have more joy and less suffering.
10. Right view (samma ditthi/ diṭṭhujukamma): Understanding and believing deeply in cause and effect, absorbing useful and practical values through the Buddha’s Dharma.
On the other hand, to develop the blessings of cultivation more and more daily and apply them in the daily life, we can practice the Four Skillful Methods to win people’s hearts to benefit many people.
a. Almsgiving (dana): Sharing wealth giving, Dharma giving, and fearlessness giving for other people.
b. Loving speech (priyavacana): Speaking the words of kindness, loveliness, pleasantness, harmony, construction, and solidarity.
c. Beneficial action (arthakrtya): Sharing the benefits one has created for others.
4. Co-operation (samanarthata): Cooperating and working together to do good and wholesome deeds for the Sangha by consciously practicing the Six Dharmas of harmony, respect, and peacefulness.
A. Living together in harmony: Living together in the spirits of construction, harmony, reconciliation, and solidarity and regarding each other as sisters and brothers in the good thoughts, words, and deeds.
B. Speech in Harmony without Argument: Speaking the words of harmony, love, and gentleness to recognize and transform the bad words, discord, and unloving speech.
C. The Mind in Harmony with Mutual Joy: Developing, respecting, and practicing the opinions of the many in right view, right thought, right speech, etc.
D. The Precepts in Harmony together with cultivation: The Dharma Precepts of the World-Honored One have the power to protect a life of peace, joy, and freedom. We consciously practice the Dharma Precepts established by the Buddha himself.
E. The View in Harmony together with mutually Explaining: In the process of cultivating, learning, and working in the daily life, what we unclearly understand yet
and do not know yet, we discuss, debate, explain, and analyze together to move towards common seeing and common understanding in the spirit of harmony, construction, and solidarity.
F. Sharing the benefit together equally: The material and spiritual things we achieve must be shared together equally in the spirit of equality, mutual assistance, mutual love, mutual respect, and mutual affection.
4.c. 4.2. Blessings of appearance
When we learn, understand, practice, apply, and achieve blessings of cultivation, we will certainly have blessings of appearance. The Buddha taught that people with blessings of appearance will achieve the five precious things in life: “Long life, beauty, happiness, strength, and wisdom.”
4.c. 4.3. Blessings of Virtue
In the daily life, we do good things, say good things, and think about good things that bring benefits to ourselves and to other people right here and right now in the present life. In Khuddaka Nikaya, Maha Mangala Sutta, to live a life of peace, joy and happiness for oneself and for other people, the Buddha taught the ten methods of practice to create the great blessings of virtue as follows:
1. Keeping far away from bad and evil people
Always close to good and virtuous people
Honoring those who are worth honoring
This is the greatest blessing.
2. Knowing to choose a good environment
To do good things
Walking on the path of true goodness
This is the greatest blessing.
3. Diligently learning good jobs
Knowing to lead a life of virtue
Knowing to say loving speech
This is the greatest blessing.
4. Knowing to support and serve parents
Loving to take care of the family
Knowing to do a proper occupation
This is the greatest blessing.
5. Living happily in almsgiving
Helping relatives and friends
Treating them flawlessly
This is the greatest blessing.
6. To avoid doing evil
Not drunk and addicted
Diligently doing good
This is the greatest blessing.
7. Knowing to be humble and polite in a manner
To learn about good things
To know and be grateful and contentment
This is the greatest blessing.
8. Knowing good improvement and perseverance
Contact with talented and virtuous people
Diligently studying together
This is the greatest blessing.
9. Living in diligence and awakening
Perceiving the Noble Truths,
Enjoying the Dharma joy
This is the greatest blessing.
10. Living in the world
The mind never wavered
Ending defilements with ease
This is the greatest blessing.
Those who accomplish so
Wherever they go is safe,
Wherever they arrive is strong
Happiness for themselves and
Happiness for other people.
4.c. 4.4. Blessings of materials
4.c. 4.5. Blessings of knowledge
4.c. 4.6. Blessings of wisdom
In life, when we are born, grow up, study, research, work, and achieve good and proper careers, we have money to buy houses, cars, and daily necessities. That is called blessing of materials. For those who study diligently in their academic path until they graduate and obtain a Buddhist or secular degree. That is a blessing of knowledge. But for those who are educated, practice, cultivate, and apply the Buddha Dharma in their daily lives to benefit themselves and other people for themselves and other people right here in their present lives. It is a blessing of wisdom.
4.c. 4.4. Blessings of materials
4.c. 4.5. Blessings of knowledge
4.c. 4.6. Blessings of wisdom
In life, when we are born, grow up, study, research, work, and achieve good and proper careers, we have money to buy houses, cars, and daily necessities. That is called blessing of materials.
5. THE ENLIGHTENMENT FACTORS OF TRANQUILITY (passaddhi sambojjhanga) is the fifth of the seven factors of enlightenment. Tranquility whose Pali is passaddhi; passaddhi means lightness, ease, happiness, stability, and serenity. Thanks to cultivating, learning, understanding, and applying the Buddha Dharma and meditation practice in our daily lives, we practice morning, noon, afternoon, and evening doing good things, speaking good things, and thinking about good things, so we have the states of lightness, ease, and serenity in our bodies and minds. Those who run after worldly things, sensual pleasures, and material things, their lives are insecure. On the contrary, those who always abide in the Buddha Dharma, their bodies and minds are always happy, peaceful, light, and at ease.
6. THE ENLIGHTENMENT FACTORS OF CONCENTRATION (samādhi sambojjhanga) is the sixth of the seven factors of enlightenment. Concentration whose Pali is samādhi; Samādhi has some relationships to samatha; Samādhi is concentration; Samatha is stopping. Samādhi means concentration, turning back, relying on, etc.; Samatha means stopping, stillness, tranquility, etc. Normally in the daily life, we often wander, pursue, and indulge in external worldly things, such as the internet, movies, pictures, obscene newspapers, violence, anger, hatred, etc. We cannot control our bodies and minds. Now, thanks to wholesome conditions, we are close to good teachers and good friends to cultivate, learn, practice, and apply the Buddha Dharma in our daily lives. We have the ability to live our lives of peacefulness, freedom, and ease right here and right now in the present life.
Indeed, guarding the sense organs is CONCENTRATION. Protecting the sense bases is CONCENTRATION. Keeping the sense faculties is CONCENTRATION. Subduing the sense bases is CONCENTRATION. Not to let the body and mind wander and run after external worldly objects is CONCENTRATION. Not letting afflictions and delusions control the body and mind is CONCENTRATION; CONCENTRATION in this case means turning back to rely on oneself, not relying on anyone or anything else.
The Buddha has taught:
O disciples, in the great ocean of birth, death, and Samsara,
Be yourself swimming to the shore of liberation,
Be yourself lighting the torch to go,
Be yourself taking refuge in yourself,
Be yourself taking refuge in your own island,
Be yourself making the island for your own refuge,
Be yourself taking refuge in your own stable cultivation.
Do not take refuge in anyone or anything else.
Use the right Dharma as the lamp to illuminate yourself,
Use the right Dharma as the island for yourself,
Use the right Dharma as the best refuge for yourself,
Use the right Dharma to practice and benefit yourself and other people right in the present life.
Therefore, you are determined to take refuge in the right Dharma, not to take refuge in the wrong dharma, or anything else.
To take refuge in the right Dharma means to take refuge in cultivation of your own virtue, meditation, wisdom, deliverance, and deliverance with right understanding.
Not to take refuge in the wrong dharma means not to take refuge in bad gods, devils, evil things, paganism, heresies, wrong teachers, wrong teachings, bad people, and bad environment.”
In Dīgha Nikāya, Maha-parinibbana Sutta number 16, before entering Nibbana, the Buddha has advised his disciples: “O disciples, everything is changing and impermanent.
Make great effort to cultivate and practice the Buddha Dharma more and more, to bring joy and happiness for yourselves and other people right here and right now in the present life. These are my ultimate, essential, and practical teachings for you all.”
7. THE ENLIGHTENMENT FACTORS OF EQUANITY (upekkhā sambojjhanga) is the seventh of the seven factors of enlightenment. Upekkhā means letting go of, tolerance, embracing, non-discrimination, non-distinction, non-attachment, non-clinging to. The Enlightenment Factor of Equanimity is closely related to Equanimity in the Four Immeasurables: Loving-kindness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity. Please see more at this link https://phapnhan.org/en/the-four-immeasurable-minds/
The author, Thầy Trừng Sỹ has a poem called Learning the Virtues of the Earth, which reads as follows:
Vowing to learn the virtues of EARTH
Embracing the countless things
Being boundlessly tolerant and generous
Supporting this world.
Indeed, those who learn the virtues of EQUANIMITY always live happily and freely like a strong lion, not afraid of any sounds or noises in life.
A person who practices equanimity is like a gust of blowing wind that does not get stuck in a net.
A person who practices equanimity is like a fresh lotus flower that grows out of the mud and the muddy water, but it is not polluted by the mud and the muddy water. Likewise, a person who practices equanimity lives in the world, but he is not polluted by the world.
People who practice equanimity are like the most solid islands of themselves, not afraid of all the storms and tempests of life.
People who practice equanimity are like brave rhinoceros, taking the most solid and powerful steps forward in life.
A person who practices equanimity is like a bird with two full wings flying high in the sky to enjoy the vast space.
A person who practices equanimity always lives a life of freedom, gentleness, serenity, and nobility.
People who practice equanimity always have mindfulness and strength in thoughts, words, and deeds and have the ability to subdue indifference and clinging.
There are the four kinds of equanimity: 1. Equanimity of wealth, 2. Equanimity of the Dharma, 3. Equanimity of fearlessness, and 4. Equanimity of afflictions. With the practice of equanimity, what we help others, we do not see ourselves giving, the things being given, and the receivers.
Bringing material things to give or donate other people is called equanimity of wealth; Bringing the Buddha Dharma to transmit and spread others is called equanimity of the Dharma; Bringing the body and mind without fear to help other people by thoughts, words, and deeds is called equanimity of fearlessness. For example, the earth is round, we keep saying it is round even if someone says it is square and threatens to arrest us, we still say the earth is round; Bringing our practice to purify and transform afflictions is called equanimity of afflictions.
People who practice equanimity are always happy and at ease amidst praise and blame in life. In the Dhammapada, verse 81, the Buddha taught:
Wise Ones are like cliffs
The raging wind cannot shake them
The words of praise and blame
do not move their eyebrows at all.
Equanimity and joy always go together and support each other. Successful equanimity is thanks to joy, and successful joy is thanks to equanimity. Loving-kindness and compassion, joy and equanimity are categories that go hand in hand and support each other.
People who practice equanimity are always tolerant, forgiving, and generous, not stuck in “gain and loss, honor and dishonor, praise and blame, happiness and suffering” (The Eight winds). These eight winds always make people crazy and miserable.
The Buddha, who practices equanimity, has the ability to identify and transform others, like Ms. Cincā mānaviā pretending to be a pregnant woman to slander the Buddha, like the Brahmin who came to curse the Buddha.
The Buddha gave a very profound example. Today, someone brings you a gift. If you do not accept it, then who does the gift belong to? The Brahmin replied, “Of course, the gift belongs to me. Likewise, I do not accept what you curse me. Whose verbal karma does it belong to?” When he heard the Buddha speak, Mr. Brahmin felt very embarrassed, repented, and asked to become a lay disciple of the Buddha.
CONCLUSION
Through what discussed above, we know that THE SEVEN FACTORS OF ENLIGHTENMENT are always closely and practical with the Buddha’s teachings, such as the Noble Eightfold Path, the Four Immeasurable Minds, the Five Powers, etc … The more you cultivate, learn, understand, practice, and apply the Buddha Dharma diligently, the more we feel happy and peaceful. On the path of practice towards enlightenment and liberation of greed, anger, delusion, ignorance, and wrong view, when studying, practicing, and applying the Seven Factors of Enlightenment into the daily life mindfully and consciously, we can surely bring the fruits and flowers of peace, joy, and happiness right here and right now in the present life. Indeed, whether we are Buddhists or not Buddhists, whether we are religious people or not religious people, when we have enough wholesome conditions to cultivate, learn, apply, and practice the Seven Factors of Enlightenment into the daily life, the afflictions in us will be gradually transformed, the enlightenment, right mindfulness, and awareness in us will grow and develop strongly. When we understand and practice so well, we have the ability to bring peace, joy, and happiness to ourselves and to other people right here and right now in the present life.
We wish you all to be imbued with the Dharma of the World-Honored One.
By Ven. Thích Trừng Sỹ
.
